Telling an employee he's out of a job is almost always an unpleasant task. It can be emotionally charged, raising feelings of guilt, disappointment, and even fear of retaliation, and it can be burdensome in terms of the paperwork and other logistics. While it's never easy, there are common mistakes that can be avoided, writes CIO magazine's Meridith Levinson, who outlines six things not to do.

First, do not use information that was not meant to be used to justify laying someone off, Levinson writes. Using data from leadership development initiatives, for example, can lead to a wrongful termination case if employers were told the data was only for development purposes, according to Dan Bocabella, senior direct of product management at SumTotal Systems.

Second, do not base the firing on a single bad performance review. Not only can this lead to a wrongful termination suit by an employee who had an otherwise good record, but it can also leave you short-staffed for a lengthy period.

Third, during the meeting with the employee, do not blather on about things that are not relevant to him, but at the same time be sure to say enough to sound empathetic. 

Fourth, do not ramble on about how difficult this move is for you. Regardless of how bad you might feel, you still have a job.

Fifth, be sure to explain what will happen next in the process, particularly if the employee is apt to find it demeaning or embarrassing. If a security guard is going to escort fired employees out, let them know that this is the standard procedure.

Finally, explain to the remaining employees why one of their colleagues was terminated. Employees need to know that the firing decision was fair, or else morale can fall quickly.

For more, see:
- Meridith Levinson's article at CIO

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